Allergy testing device and method of testing for allergies

Abstract

An allergy testing system comprises a skin test device having a grip portion for holding the device. One or more legs extend from the grip, and each leg is oriented to interact with a well containing a potential allergen. Each leg has a test head, and each test head has a plurality of elongated spike members. The elongated spike members have a sharp end configured to receive the potential allergen from a well and to puncture a patient's skin. In addition, each test head has at least one touch activator. The touch activator is longer than the plurality of elongated spike members, such that during an allergy test, the touch activator comes into contact with the skin prior to the elongated spike members, causing the touch activators to activate nerve tissue that blocks transmission of pain, resulting in a reduction of pain and / or discomfort during testing.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13 / 308,111 filed on Nov. 30, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,469,900. U.S. application Ser. No. 13 / 308,111 is incorporated fully herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD[0002]This disclosure generally relates to reducing pain in a skin testing device system commonly used for applying test solution, such as liquid antigens, employed in skin testing for allergies, to patients' skin via skin test devices that have sharp pointed ends.BACKGROUND[0003]Skin testing to identify potential allergens that a patient may be allergic to is well known in many forms. The person conducting the skin testing may apply a relatively large number of test solutions to a patient's skin. To perform skin tests of this type, the person conducting the skin test typically places the skin test devices into a test solution such that a small amount of test solution adheres to the sharp pointed ends on the skin testing devic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent is about a system for testing allergies. It includes a device with legs that can be used to test for allergens or controls. The legs have small spikes that can be used to prick the skin and deliver the test solution or allergen. To make the test less painful, there is also a touch activator that comes into contact with the skin before the spikes. The system also includes wells that can hold the test solutions. The device can be designed to have a separate test head for each well. The technical effects of this invention include a more efficient and sensitive way to test allergies that reduces discomfort for the patient.

Problems solved by technology

However, the sharp pointed ends of the skin test device may cause discomfort to some patients and much pain to other patients because the sharp pointed ends must penetrate the epidermis of the skin in order to get meaningful allergy test results.

The discomfort and / or pain caused by the testing can be traumatic for the patient and disruptive to the nurse or doctor administering the testing.

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